Exception handling in Java is a crucial mechanism that allows developers to manage runtime errors effectively, ensuring that programs can handle unexpected situations without crashing. The foundation of Java’s exception handling is the hierarchy of exceptions, with the Throwable class at the top. This class has two main subclasses: Exception, which represents expected exceptions that can occur during normal execution, and Error, which indicates serious problems that the program should not attempt to handle ².

To handle exceptions, Java uses the try-catch block. The try block contains code that may throw an exception, while the catch block is used to handle the exception if it occurs. This structure allows developers to write robust code that can gracefully manage errors, improving the overall reliability of applications ⁵. Additionally, Java supports user-defined exceptions, enabling programmers to create custom exceptions tailored to specific application needs ¹.

Understanding and implementing exception handling is essential for writing resilient Java applications that can recover from errors and maintain a smooth user experience.